US-based Princess Cruises has confirmed the sad news that the captain of one of its ships had died while the vessel was in the middle of a weeks-long itinerary in East Asia.
Princess Cruises said that Captain Michele Bartolomei died unexpectedly while his vessel, the 2,700-guest ship Diamond Princess, was at berth in Keelung in Taiwan on Monday, May 19.
Bartolomei suffered a "sudden medical emergency" of an undisclosed nature while on board Diamond Princess, which was originally scheduled to depart Keelung that same day.
All medical personnel who were on the ship at the time were summoned to administer life-saving measures. However, the captain's death was confirmed just hours later when guests were informed via letters distributed by the crew.
Diamond Princess will proceed with her 19-night East Asia voyage as scheduled with Salvatore Macera taking over as captain. The ship is expected to conclude her current voyage when she arrives in Japan on Sunday, May 25.
Bartolomei, who was born in Italy and later relocated to Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada, had been with Princess Cruises since 1995.
"Captain Bartolomei was a respected leader whose decades of service at sea exemplified professionalism, dedication, and care for both guests and crew," Princess Cruises said via a statement following his passing.
"Our hearts are with Captain Bartolomei’s family during this incredibly difficult time, and we extend our deepest condolences to them," the statement continued. "We also stand in support of the entire Diamond Princess crew and all employees across our company who had the honour of working alongside him."